


Strangers on a Train

by Blueskydancers



Category: Actor RPF, The Hobbit RPF, The Lord of the Rings RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-09
Updated: 2016-01-20
Packaged: 2018-05-12 19:25:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,733
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5677822
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blueskydancers/pseuds/Blueskydancers
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After a messy breakup Orlando is heading for Cornwall to spend Christmas with his sister and, because he has left his decision to travel too late, he has no option but to take a train. Travelling anywhere on Christmas Eve by train  is hell because the trains are full to bursting. Orlando  is facing spending the greater part of his journey having to share his very expensive space in First Class - the only way he could guarantee a seat - with a stranger who is bound to be full of Christmas cheer. I was going to be eight hours of purgatory he just knew it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**24th December 2015**  
Orlando checked his reservation before slumping into his allocated first class seat, one of a pair separated by a small table at the front of the carriage, on the 13.43 train out of Newcastle’s main station. The prospect of spending the next five and a half hours on this train followed by a forty minute wait in Taunton until his connecting train was almost too much for him to contemplate. Even if all went well he would not arrive in Penzance until nearly midnight and then he would still have to find a taxi to take him to his sister’s home.

If only he’d made the decision to head south for Christmas months earlier. Then, he would have been able to fly the three hundred miles from Newcastle to Exeter in less than two hours, and get a much more sensibly timed train to his sister’s home. Instead he was going to spend an inordinate amount of time with only himself for company and have far too much time to think about the mess his life had become over the past year.

Putting his backpack on the floor next to him, he stretched his legs out under the table. There was a label on the seat opposite and by squinting a bit he could see that it was reserved from York to Taunton. So, if the person showed up, that would mean he could expect them in about an hour. He knew it was a waste of time to hope they wouldn’t turn up. This close to Christmas trains were always packed, with people standing in the aisles and sitting in the vestibules between the carriages. That was the reason he’d ended up paying an exorbitant amount of money for a First Class ticket as it was the only way he could guarantee a seat for the length of his journey.

Unzipping his backpack, he searched around until he found his book. He put it down on the table without opening it, at least then, if anyone came to sit with him, he could pretend to read and ignore them without appearing to be rude. He had grabbed the book because he didn’t have an alternative and there hadn’t been time at the station to get hold of anything else before he had to board the train. Given what a prat Alex had been in the months before they split, Orlando had no expectation that the book, recommended by one of Alex’s equally prattish friends, was going to be something he would enjoy at all.

Orlando shook his head, he was still lacking so much of his previous confidence. He should have tossed the book away without a qualm. After all, being rude and treating other people like shit hadn’t bothered Alex in the least. For months before Orlando had finally plucked up enough courage to throw him out, Alex had been increasingly scathing about everything Orlando said and did. 

It was only later, once Alex had been given his marching orders, that Orlando had realised how much Alex had undermined him and tried to separate him from his friends. Fortunately, that hadn’t happened and several had been there for him in the aftermath of the very messy breakup. But that had been more than six months ago and, despite introductions to various gay friends, Orlando was still reluctant to stick his head in that particular noose again. It was one of the reasons he had agreed to spend Christmas with his sister and her family. Many of the people he might have hung out with over the holiday had decided to go abroad to find some sun and even though they had invited him along, he hadn’t wanted to be there like a spare wheel with the constant reminder that he was not part of a couple any longer.

The Train Manager came along the carriage and Orlando fumbled for his ticket. He spent several minutes searching through his pockets before he found it and his seat reservation in his wallet. “Phew, that’s a relief. It cost an arm and a leg to buy,” he muttered, passing the ticket over. The Train Manager glanced at it briefly before scribbling on it to show that it had been checked.

“Thank you sir. Have you been told about the reports of bad weather coming in from the north with some heavy snow possible?”

“Yes.”

“It shouldn’t cause a problem with your journey as we are only expecting a maximum of a couple of inches but I thought I should warn you. And you never know if we are delayed for over an hour you might be able to get part of your ticket price back.”

“As nice as that would be I hope we’re not delayed. I’ve got a connecting train to catch in Taunton as I need to get to Penzance tonight.”

“Good luck with that, sir. I think I should warn you that the refreshment trolley will probably not be able to get through the train easily because we’re so full. But if you decide to seek them out, tea, coffee and soft drinks will be complimentary as you are travelling in first class. You just need to remember to take your ticket with you.”

“Thanks for the information,” Orlando replied.

Looking around him Orlando could see that most of the seats in the carriage were already occupied so he contemplated making a trip for coffee now before the crowding on the rest of the train got too bad. At least then he would get back some of the cost of his first class ticket. 

He’d just finished a cup of not very good coffee when they stopped in Darlington. Looking out of the window, he could see that the platform was crowded; people were milling about with luggage and struggling to board the train. As he watched and waited for the train to begin moving again he saw the first few flakes of snow begin to fall. He wasn’t concerned though, because the climate in Cornwall was usually much milder and snow was a rarity. Maybe he should really think about looking for a new job back in the south. He’d only moved north to be with Alex and while he had his own friends there now, there were also a lot of people he knew in London. He’d discuss it with his sister while he was there. She was the fount of common sense in the family and would help him weigh up the pros and cons of moving and starting again.

There was little to see from the train apart from the occasional road and the snow swirling around them made visibility difficult. Lost in thought Orlando didn’t pick up his book and gradually, without any resistance on his part, his eyes closed and he drifted off to sleep.

He came awake with a jump when something clattered against the small table.  
“Oh Jesus, I’m sorry. I saw you were asleep and didn’t want to wake you.” The voice had a soft Irish accent and Orlando looked up slowly seeing a slim dark haired man standing in the aisle looking absolutely mortified.

Appreciating the view – he might be a bit wary of getting into a relationship again but he definitely wasn’t dead – Orlando sat up straighter. He really hoped that he hadn’t been sleeping with his mouth open, snoring or drooling, none of which would have given a favourable impression to the person he was likely to be sharing the table with for the next five hours. 

Realising he ought to say something he swallowed to clear his throat and said, “It’s okay. I hadn’t meant to doze off anyway.”

Dark brown eyes focused on book lying on the table as his new travelling companion sat down. He leaned forward and tapped the cover. “I’m not surprised you fell asleep if you were reading that. I started it about three months ago and never got further than the second chapter. It was awful.”

Before Orlando could muster a response the man blurted out, “Shit, I’m such an idiot. Knowing my luck it was probably written by your best mate. I always open my mouth without thinking of the consequences.”

Fortunately, Orlando’s brain was working a bit faster than his mouth because it managed to stop the instant, and completely inappropriate, response that came into his head from leaving his lips. Which was good because it would probably have got him a punch on the nose. Instead he said feebly, “It’s okay. It was recommended by a friend of my ex and he’s a wanker.”

“The friend or your ex?” 

The question came back so quickly that Orlando couldn’t help smiling as he replied. “Both of them, actually.”

After a couple of minutes of silence, the man looked out the window. “I can’t see if the snow is getting worse because it’s so dark. I hope the train isn’t delayed too much more as I’ve got a connection to make in Taunton. I’ve got almost an hour between trains but this one is running late already and the weather was supposed to be getting worse.”

“We’re late?”

“Yeah, by about half an hour and let me tell you the platform at York was freezing.”

“Shit!” Orlando swore. His day was turning out even more crap than he’d thought. He was going to miss his next train too, he just knew it.

“What’s wrong?”

“I’ve got a connection to make in Taunton too. I’m heading to Penzance,” Orlando explained.

“What a coincidence, so am I. Are you visiting someone for Christmas?”

Orlando took a deep breath. The journey was going to turn out however it would and there was nothing he could do about it. He might as well make the best of it. “Yeah, my sister. How about you?”

“I’m visiting friends. They moved there a few months ago and this will be the first time I’ve been down to see them.”

Orlando nodded before realising that his fear of having to share the space with someone had evaporated. He wasn’t an impulsive person but he had never felt so comfortable chatting to anyone so quickly before. So, if the very attractive guy sitting opposite was visiting friends for Christmas, that probably meant he was unattached and, so as long as they were on the same page about their preferences and Orlando’s instincts in this respect were usually pretty accurate, that could be very good news. It didn’t mean of course that he was going to jump into anything. That would just be weird and completely out of character for him.

“I’m-,” Orlando broke off as there was an announcement over the train’s speakers. He recognised the voice of the man who had inspected his ticket.

“This is the Train Manager speaking, I’d like to welcome passengers who joined us at York. Unfortunately, the bad weather is worse than anticipated, and we have had reports of frozen points ahead. This means that we will be travelling somewhat slower than usual because of congestion on the line in front of us. At the moment we are running approximately thirty five minutes behind schedule and anticipate that we will not be able to make up any of this time until we are south of Birmingham when the weather reports say the snow will have eased. I would like to apologise on behalf of Cross Country trains and offer our sincere apologies for any inconvenience caused to your journey. Refreshments are available from the trolley and for our First Class passengers, tea, coffee and soft drinks are complimentary, please show your tickets when you collect your drinks. Once again I apologise for the delay and any inconvenience it may cause.”

“Coffee?” Orlando’s fellow passenger said happily. “I think I’ll go and get some. Do you want me to pick up some for you?” 

“That’s okay, I’ll come with you; I could do with stretching my legs.” 

Orlando followed the other man through to the next carriage admiring the way he manoeuvred around the people standing in the aisle. Without intending to, he found himself watching the way the man moved and appreciating the way his dark jeans clung to him.

They got to the vestibule between one carriage and the next and the man stopped suddenly, spinning to face him and Orlando realised that he had seen where Orlando’s gaze was directed. He gave Orlando a wide grin, which spoke volumes, before moving closer and saying quietly, “Fuck me, I’m glad I was able to book First Class, at least I’ve got a seat unlike these poor sods. 

When they finally found the trolley, there was a small number of people queuing to buy their drinks. While they were waiting Orlando said, “I suppose I ought to introduce myself as we’re going to be sitting together for the next five hours. I’m Orlando, but my friends call me Lan or Lando.” 

“Pleased to meet you, Lando, I’m Aidan.”

Orlando reached over and they shook hands. The contact was only brief but Orlando was surprised by the sudden heat that rushed through him when their hands met. From the shocked look on Aidan’s face it hadn’t been one sided either.

~~~

The train had stopped twice more since Aidan had boarded; some passengers had left the train and others had taken their place. Because the conversation between him and Aidan had flowed so easily, the time had passed without him noticing. So, when Orlando checked his watch he swore, “Shit! It’s five already, aren’t we meant to be almost in Birmingham by now?”

Aidan shrugged. “I think so.” Then his face cleared. “Hang on a second, I’ve got a print out of the timetable somewhere.” After searching through various pockets, Aidan pulled out a dog-eared piece of paper. Unfolding it he looked down the list of stations, using his finger to follow the names. “We’re due into Birmingham New Street at seventeen twelve. But wasn’t the place we just stopped Sheffield?” At Orlando’s nod he continued, “We should have been there a bit before four, so we’re running at least an hour late.”

“Bugger. We’ve no chance of making our connection now.” His words might have belied his true feelings though. Orlando was rapidly wondering what could happen if he and Aidan were left stranded together in Taunton late on Christmas Eve.

“It appears not.” Aidan gave his another of his trademark grins, showing that he wasn’t all that bothered by the prospect either.

~~~

There was another announcement to say that the train was now running about ninety minutes late and that Cross Country staff would be available at their destination to help them complete their journey and that taxis would be made available for those who had missed their onward connections.

“A taxi?” Orlando looked up at the information. “Isn’t it nearly a hundred and fifty miles from Taunton to Penzance?”

“Must be. I wonder if anyone else if travelling that far tonight? Maybe it’ll just be us sharing?”

“Could be.” As the train continued moving, Orlando got up. “I’m going for a walk, do you want me to pick up more coffee on my way back?”

“Yeah, thanks.” Aidan nodded, and held out his ticket, before slumping down in his seat and closing his eyes.

“Okay, won’t be long.”

After a visit to the loo Orlando made his way through the standard class carriages until he found the refreshment trolley. As had been the case for the whole journey there was a queue so he joined the back of it and waited as people slowly moved forward. Letting his mind wander he thought about Christmas and the time he was spending with his sister. He was planning to be in Cornwall until the New Year because with most of his friends away it had made sense to take a longer break. Aidan hadn’t mentioned how long he intended to be in Penzance for but, if he was going to be there for at least a few days after Christmas, Orlando wondered if he should suggest they exchange phone numbers so they could arrange to get together during the holiday. 

With a start he realised that he had reached the front of the queue and the attendant was waiting to take his order. Requesting two black coffees and, in the absence of any sandwiches, crisps and muffins, Orlando paid for the food and waited while it and the drinks were put into two small brown paper bags with handles.

He had got through the standard class carriages and was about five rows of seats away from Aidan when, with a scream of brakes, the train began to decelerate rapidly. Before it could come to a complete halt, the carriage jolted violently and started to tilt to one side, continuing to move forward, as what sounded like giant hailstones sprayed against the windows. 

His hands full, Orlando had no hope of preventing himself from being thrown down the aisle. The abruptness of the deceleration and listing of the carriage gave him no chance to save himself as the bags of food and drinks went flying and he collided heavily with one the metal handles attached to the top corner of the aisle seat.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Orlando knew instantly that something in his shoulder had given from the impact and he crumpled onto the floor. The train was still moving and he couldn’t do anything to prevent himself sliding across the now uneven floor of the carriage. In moments the pain kicked in and he found it hard to breathe. Every movement forced on his shoulder was agony and he thought he was going to pass out.

Orlando knew instantly that something in his shoulder had given from the impact and he crumpled onto the floor. The train was still moving and he couldn’t do anything to prevent himself sliding across the now uneven floor of the carriage. In moments the pain kicked in and he found it hard to breathe. Every movement forced on his shoulder was agony and he thought he was going to pass out.

The screeching of brakes stopped and the train had barely come to a complete rest when Aidan was up and out of his seat, landing on his knees beside him. 

Orlando was dimly aware of lots of yelling coming from further down the carriage.

“Lan! Are you okay?”

He couldn’t get enough breath to speak so he shook his head. Instantly pain spiked in his shoulder and he bit his lip to hold in a moan of agony.

He was vaguely aware of other people crowding towards him and was relieved when Aidan shouted, “Get back and give him some room.”

Orlando was more worried than he wanted to be by the look of concern on Aidan’s face. But at least he was lying on his left side and it was his right shoulder he had damaged. Anxious not to make a fuss over what was likely only some bruising, he tried to move, attempting to hold his right arm immobile with his left. Needless to say it didn’t work terribly well as the pain increased and his head started to spin.

“No, no, you idiot. Stay still.” Aidan gently pushed him back down. “You need help. From the odd shape of your shoulder I think you’ve dislocated it.”

“What happened?” Orlando gasped. This was turning into a nightmare, present company accepted of course. Spending part of this journey in Aidan’s company had been a bonus and probably the highlight of his year to date. 

“I’m not sure but I think at least this carriage has derailed because now we’ve stopped and it’s resting at a funny angle.”

“Shit!” Orlando spat the word wearily.

“Look, I have to get you some help, you’re going to need to go to hospital as soon as possible to avoid any long term damage to your shoulder and in the meantime we need to find a way to immobilise the joint.”

“Have you done first aid training?” Orlando croaked out. He tried to focus on Aidan but his vision was blurry.

“A bit, mostly the usual stuff you get at work. I know enough to know when someone needs more help than I can give.” Aidan looked around frantically before muttering under his breath. “Where the fuck is the Train Manager?”

“I think he’s got a lot of people to worry about in other carriages.”

Bracing himself against the slope of the floor of the carriage Aidan turned to a man who was standing a few rows of seats away. “Can you try to find the Train Manager? My friend here is hurt and needs to get medical attention as soon as possible.”

The man nodded and headed off down the train.

“I need to keep you warm to try to stop you going into shock.” Aidan reached over to his seat and pulled Orlando’s down jacket over, laying it carefully over him, by some miracle avoiding jostling his shoulder. Fortunately the jacket was lightweight, so it didn’t put any undue pressure on his shoulder either, which was a blessing.

Orlando wasn’t sure how long had passed. The pain had made him feel sick and dizzy and he knew with absolute certainty that had he been sitting up he would have passed out. Lack of movement was helping the pain subside to almost manageable levels – at least he didn’t want to scream like he was sure he had at first. Aidan being with him though was a comfort.

The next thing he heard was an announcement over the train speaker system. “Our apologies for the abrupt stop, but it appears that there was a herd of cows on the line which has caused the derailment of the front carriage. The driver has contacted the Control Office and informed them of the situation. The guard has placed detonators on the track to protect the train. In the meantime, please remain –”

The man’s voice cut off abruptly and when he began speaking again he said, “I would like to ask if there is a doctor or medically trained person on board the train. If so, could you please make your way as quickly as possible to front of the train. If the rest of our passengers could bear with me for a short while, I hope to have some information for you as soon as possible. In the meantime please be assured the heating and lighting will remain active so there is no need to worry.”

Great, at least we’re not going to freeze to death. In his fuzzy state Orlando wasn’t sure if that was preferable. Surely if they turned the heating off it would help to cool the fire in his shoulder? And, if he was numb, then he wouldn’t feel anything.

He must have zoned out because the next thing he became aware of was the Train Manager standing over him, with what looked like a huge First Aid bag clutched in one hand and several blankets draped over his other arm.

Aidan took the kit from the man and set it down beside him. “Hey, Lan, how’re you feeling now?”

Deciding it was a stupid question, Orlando just glared.

“Okay, the strong silent type then.”

“Piss off.” His voice came out slightly distorted and faint. A bit like how he was feeling really.

Aidan looked at the Train Manager, “I heard the announcement, asking if there was a doctor on board. Has anyone has come forward?”

The man shook his head. “No, I’m afraid not. Have you had First Aid training?”

“I’ve done several courses including an advanced one for work and I know how to immobilise his shoulder but I also know he needs to get to a hospital quickly. Too much more of this and he’s going to go into shock.” 

“I’m right here you know,” Orlando muttered.

“Sorry, Lan I didn’t mean to talk over you.” Aidan rested a hand briefly against his cheek.

Aidan looked at the Train Manager. “Why don’t you check on the other passengers? You can leave me to make Lan more comfortable.” Aidan’s tone left little room for argument.

The man hesitated and then, faced with Aidan’s implacable stare, nodded. “If you’re sure.”

“I am.”

Turning away from them, the Train Manager stood in front of the other First Class passengers. And announced, “Ladies and gentlemen, I’d ask you to gather your belongings and move to the next carriage as I’m sure you will be much more comfortable upright. It will also make it easier for you to be evacuated from the train.”

Following the passengers as they vacated the carriage the Train Manager pulled his mobile phone from his pocket and as his voice faded Orlando could hear him talking to someone, who he assumed was the driver.

“You were very pushy, Mr Turner.” Orlando found himself smiling despite the circumstances.

“Well, I thought you’d prefer me to sort you out. At least then you can swear and yell at me to your heart’s content and know it won’t hurt my feelings or be anything I’ve not heard before.”

The next ten minutes weren’t pleasant even though Aidan did his best to make sure that he didn’t move Orlando’s shoulder at all unnecessarily. By the time he had finished, Orlando was trussed up like a Christmas turkey.

Taking a few deep breaths he let himself sink back onto the blankets now padding the floor of the carriage. Once Aidan had draped another over him Orlando tried to relax.

Aidan sat back on his heels and leaned against the seat behind him. “That was some pretty impressive swearing there, mate. Even I didn’t know some of those combinations of fuck and bugger.”

“Shit! I wasn’t aware that I did until they came out.”

“How’re you feeling now?”

“Better. Thanks for helping me, Aid, it couldn’t have been easy with me shouting and swearing like that.”

Ducking his head Aidan stayed silent for a moment before responding. When he did he met Orlando’s gaze unflinchingly. “The yelling was only a problem because it meant that I was hurting you and I hated doing that.”

Realising that Aidan was trying to convey more than just his words, Orlando tried to keep things light when he responded. “You mean you don’t lurk on trains waiting for clumsy idiots to hurt themselves just so you can be their knight in shining armour?” 

“Not usually.” Aidan grinned and then he took hold of Orlando’s uninjured hand. “But I could make an exception in your case. If you wanted me to that is.”

Squeezing Aidan’s hand Orlando nodded. “I think I might like that. But maybe I’ll pass on hurting myself for the foreseeable future.”

A few minutes later the Train Manager came back into view. “The good news is that the driver has told the Control Office that we have an injured passenger. As we aren’t too far outside Chesterfield and there is a road quite close by, they are promising to get help here for you in the next twenty minutes or so.”

Orlando had closed his eyes and was trying to doze, despite the way the floor of the carriage was sloping, when finally four burly fireman appeared in the carriage, bringing the freezing weather from outside with them.

One knelt down beside Orlando. “How’re you coping, lad?”

“Not so bad, Aidan managed to strap up my shoulder so I can’t move it and it feels a bit better.”

“It looks like he did a grand job.” The fireman gave his shoulder a quick look over. “The good news is that the paramedics are right behind us. They’ll sort out some pain relief for you because I’m afraid we’re going to have to put you in a stretcher and carry you for the mile or so to the road.”

“I’m coming with him to the hospital.” Orlando couldn’t see Aidan’s expression but his tone brooked no disagreement.

~~~~

Orlando opened his eyes a crack and tried to work out where he was. As he let his eyes skim around the room, taking in the dim lighting and machinery, he realised it was a hospital room. Turning his head to the left, he saw a large armchair next to the bed. It was one of those old fashioned ones with a high back and panels that wrapped around the sides, to give more support. The panels flared out close to the top so that he could only see a pair of legs belonging to whoever was sitting in the chair. From the lack of movement it appeared that the person in the chair was asleep. He hoped it was Aidan.

Still feeling very fuzzy, Orlando was glad that he remembered very little of the trip from the train to the waiting ambulance. When the paramedics had arrived, one had introduced himself as Bob. He had put a mask over Orlando’s nose and mouth, telling him to breathe normally. It had helped a little with the pain but then Bob had also stuck a needle full of something in his thigh which had helped a lot.

The six of them, paramedics and fire officers, had wrapped blankets around him and got him into a fancy sort of stretcher, fastening straps around him so that he couldn’t move.

He remembered the wind gusting along the tracks as they had manhandled him out of the carriage doorway and he could vaguely see faces pressed up against the carriage windows as they moved along the side of the train. He’s had a brief moment of irrational panic about his luggage but someone had reassured him that his friend had taken care of it and had his backpack. He didn’t remember reaching the ambulance so maybe the drugs they’d given him had put him to sleep?

He tried to move his arm and couldn’t stop a groan of pain. Instantly, the figure in the chair surged to his feet and leaned over him.

“Lan? You’re awake.” A smile split Aidan’s face

Orlando rolled his eyes.

“Are you hurting?”

“A bit. But I’d really like some water.” His voice sounded odd to his own ears.

“I’ll go and find someone. Wait there.”

Orlando had to smile at the thought he could possibly go anywhere. As fuzzy as he felt, he knew he would end up on his arse if he tried to get up.

In moments Aidan was back towing a nurse behind him. It was obvious from the fond expression she directed towards Aidan that he had already managed to wrap her around his little finger.

She came over to the bed. “Hello, Orlando, I’m glad you’re back with us. My name’s Tessa and Aidan tells me you’re in pain and would like something to drink?”

“Please,” he managed to whisper.

“I can let you have some ice to suck for now, that should help with your thirst and then we’ll get you some water. I can do something about the pain as well as the doctor left instructions that we could give you pain relief as needed.” She headed out of the room, turning back to Aidan, “Keep an eye on him, Aidan; I’ll be back as soon as possible.”

As soon as she left the room Aidan perched on the side of bed closest to Orlando’s undamaged arm and in a gesture that seemed entirely normal, he grasped Orlando’s hand. 

“What day is it? How long have I been out?”

“Only a few hours; it’s early on Christmas morning.”

“Shit! My sister! She’ll be wondering where I am. I need to phone her.” Orlando started looking around for his phone.

Aidan tugged gently on his hand. “Hey, it’s okay. I called her and explained what had happened. I told her you were going to be fine.”

“Did she believe you?” Orlando asked dubiously, knowing his sister far too well.

“Yeah, eventually. After she’d interrogated me over who I was and what I was doing with your phone.” Aidan grinned at him. “I assume she’s older than you?”

“How could you tell?” Orlando snorted with laughter which immediately made his shoulder twinge.

“Take it easy! You really gave yourself a going over you know.” Aidan rubbed his knuckles with his thumb and Orlando had to admit he rather liked the sensation even if he was still hurting a lot.

“What do you mean?”

“I thought you’d only dislocated your shoulder, turns out you broke your collar bone too. They had to operate when we got here. You’ve now got a collection of pins and plates in there.” He nodded towards Orlando’s shoulder.

“How long will they keep me here?”

Before Aidan could answer Tessa came back into the room with a colleague who handed a saucer with some ice on it to Aidan while Tessa busied herself with the drip stand and tubes going into Orlando’s arm. In moments he felt himself relaxing as the pain dulled.

“It’s a less powerful drug so it’s not going to make it stop hurting completely otherwise we’d have to knock you out again and as you’ve just come around from the anaesthetic we’d rather not. See how you go and if it’s still too much let us know and we’ll do something else. In the meantime, Aidan there can make himself useful and help you with the ice. It’ll make a change from him charming tea and toast out of the nurses.”

“Oh you’re a cruel woman, Tessa, it’s Christmas Day after all and how could I leave Lan here all alone?” Aidan protested.

“Full of the Blarney you are.” With a laugh she checked over the monitors and made some notes on the chart at the bottom of Orlando’s bed before leaving them alone once more.

“Here.” Wielding a teaspoon, Aidan shovelled a small piece of ice into Orlando’s mouth. He held it there and let the chill liquid trickle down his throat. It was heaven and before he realised it he had turned back to Aidan and opened his mouth for more.

“It’s like feeding a baby bird,” Aidan said with a smile.

“Would that make you my mother?” Orlando raised an eyebrow as he asked the question.

“Jesus, I hope not,” Aidan responded fervently.

They went through several more pieces of ice in silence. “You didn’t need to come to the hospital with me. I’ve messed up your Christmas now as well as my own.”

“No, you haven’t.” Aidan shook his head. “Like I told you on the train, I’m six months out of a long term relationship and haven’t been looking for anything else. I think fate took a hand, getting us on the same train and having us going to the same destination because neither of us wanted to spend Christmas alone. I don’t know how you feel and I appreciate that the drugs they’ve given you might make thinking a little difficult, but I’ve never been attracted to someone as quickly before. And if I had let them take you off that train without me I would have never forgiven myself because I would have had no way of finding you again.”

Orlando had watched Aidan while he was speaking, seeing the sparkle in his eyes and the animation in his whole demeanour. Finally he admitted, “While I was queuing for the coffee I had talked myself into asking you for your phone number and suggesting that maybe we could get together before we went back north.”

“Really?”

Orlando nodded carefully. “Yeah really.”

“Good. But possibly not needed now because I’m planning to stay with you until they let you out.” Aidan gave him another blinding smile.

“So, when’s that likely to happen?”

“A couple of days I think they said, once they’re sure your shoulder isn’t going to pop out again and after they’ve x-rayed you to make sure your collar bone is still lined up.”

“You can’t sleep in that chair until then.”

“I know but it’s okay because the train company have found me a hotel room for Boxing Day evening in case you’re still here then.”

“What about tonight?”

Aidan ducked his head and refused to meet his eyes.

“Aid?”

The words came out in a rush. “Um, well, I may have told them that I’m your partner so I needed to stay with you at least for tonight, so the nurses have found a fold out bed for me.”

The words tumbled out in a rush and it took a few seconds for Orlando to process what Aidan actually had said. “What?”

“Look I’m sorry if I jumped the gun but I didn’t see any other way of them being willing to tell me how you were. I couldn’t bear not knowing.”

The other man looked so much like an abandoned puppy that Orlando couldn’t be angry with him. In fact if he thought about it, he might have done something similar had the boot been on the other foot. Tugging feebly at their joined hands Orlando said, “It’s okay, Aid. I don’t mind at all. I’m really glad you were willing to take that leap of faith and stay with me. I wouldn’t have wanted to lose contact with you either. It does feel like something special and we need time to work out what that is.”

“You’re sure you don’t mind?” Aidan moved closer.

“Not at all.” 

Focusing on Aidan’s mouth Orlando realised he really wanted to kiss him but there was no way he could move enough. So tugging a bit harder on Aidan’s hand Orlando reeled him in and then slid his usable hand up until he could slide it behind Aidan’s head and pull him close enough for their lips to meet. Aidan froze for a moment but then Orlando felt him smile against his mouth before he joined in the chaste kiss.

When they finally moved apart, Orlando was panting slightly and several of the monitors looked as though they might be registering raised values.

“I’m not sure how long it’s going to be before I’m up to more than that.”

“No, that’s fine. I can be patient because I want to see what we can be together.”

“Me too.” Orlando clasped his fingers between Aidan’s and lifted his hand to place a kiss on the back of it. “You know, all things considered, this hasn’t turned out to be such a bad Christmas after all.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's time to see in the New Year and now Orlando has someone special to share it with

**31st December 2015**  
Orlando adjusted his arm in its sling and looked out over the crowd of people gathered in his sister’s home. As she and her husband ran a guest house, the room where everyone was congregated tonight was the dining room and the largest space in the house. The popularity of the recent remake of the TV series Jamaica Inn meant their business was booming with lots of people heading for Cornwall during the summer to see the sites where it had been filmed. They had seven guest rooms, all with en-suite bathrooms, and had made it a rule that they didn’t work over Christmas or the New Year unless there was an urgent reason to do so. That meant there was always plenty of room for family and friends to stay over the Christmas period.

If asked he would say he was looking at the crowd but he knew better as his eyes constantly returned to the tall, slim man who was moving around the room, talking to various members of the family. Orlando had spent some time mingling alongside Aidan but it had only been three days since he’d been discharged from hospital and his arm and shoulder still ached quite a bit when he moved around. He was more comfortable sitting or lying down but tonight, he was determined to stay awake at least until midnight so, after nagging from both his sister and Aidan, had agreed to pace himself and sit it out whenever he felt weary.

He was still watching Aidan when his sister suddenly dropped into the chair next to him.

“Shit! Don’t do that, Sam, you made me jump.”

“Sorry.” She nudged his arm – fortunately on his non-injured side – and nodded in Aidan’s direction. “You’ve got it bad.”

His first instinct was to deny it but then he felt a stupid grin creep over his face. “I know,” he admitted. “So, what do you…?” He let the words tail off. He was desperate to know what she thought of Aidan but was nervous to ask, just in case for some unimaginable reason, she had decided she didn’t like him.

“What do I?” She looked at him with a raised eyebrow – the perfect picture of a bossy big sister.

“Oh come off it. You know what I was going to ask.”

“You were going to ask what I think of him.” It must have been a result of his accident that she took pity on him and didn’t make him squirm for ages, Orlando decided.

“Yes.” And despite the crowd in the room it was as though only the two of them were there, so curious was Orlando about her response.

“You two met on Christmas Eve and had barely known him for a couple of hours before your accident. But despite that, he came to the hospital with you and stayed with you for two days and then hired a car so that he could drive you here in relative comfort. Then, he’s been to see you every day even though he is supposed to be visiting friends. Does that about sum it up?”

“Yeah,” Orlando replied quietly.

“In that case I think he’s a lovely man and you are very lucky to have found him. And just to be clear, I never liked that wanker Alex. You did the best thing ever giving him his marching orders. It’s just a shame that you didn’t do it three months sooner.”

Before she could say any more, the focus of their attention looked over at Orlando and gave him a beaming smile leaving Orlando with his breath stuttering and his heart pounding. “He’s gorgeous when he smiles,” he said dazedly.

Giggling, Sam said, “From that look he has it as badly as you do! Of course I’ve no idea why. You’re not royalty or rich. And God knows you don’t have a sparkling personality.”

“What!?” Orlando turned to look at her, finally dragging his eyes away from Aidan, just in time to see her start laughing.

Before he could respond, she patted his arm and her expression sobered. “Hey, I was only kidding. I like him a lot and it’s obvious he thinks the world of you. I know you’ve not spent much time together but sometimes you just know if someone is the right one. I think I knew within a couple of weeks of meeting Neil that he was it for me.”

“So, you think we should give this a go?”

“I think I shouldn’t be making that decision for you. But, in my opinion, if it’s something you want to try, then I think you should.”

“So, does that mean you’d be okay with him staying over tonight, if it was an option?”

“I’d be fine with it, sweetie.”

She didn’t say anymore because Aidan picked that moment to re-join Orlando. He put two glasses of champagne down on a side table. “I know you’re not supposed to drink with your medication, Lan, but I thought a couple of sips wouldn’t do you any harm and I’ll just have to drink the rest.” He gave Orlando a grin and reached down to take his uninjured hand to help him to his feet. The gesture was completely natural and unforced and made Orlando smile in return.

“The sacrifices you make for me.” 

“Ah well, I think you’re worth it.” Aidan led him over to where most people had gathered in the centre of the room. “I think you’ll have to be careful singing Auld Lang Syne, with only one usable arm.”

“That’s okay, I’m sure I can find somewhere to put my good arm.”

“Really? Would you care to share that with me?” 

“I could surprise you.” 

Leaning closer, Aidan whispered in his ear. “I think I’d like that.”

Before Orlando could respond someone shouted, “Ten seconds!”

The group then began counting down from ten to one and when they reached midnight there were mini explosions all around the room as party poppers were set off and thin paper streamers covered everyone. As the rest of the guests gathered into a circle, crossing their arms and clasping the hand of the person next to them, Aidan stuck next to Orlando’s injured side as they made their way over. Instead of holding hands with the person on his right, Orlando could only hold onto Aidan and, when the singing and jumping around grew more raucous, he guided Orlando back out of the circle and to the relative safety of the edge of the room. 

He passed Orlando one of the glasses and they touched them together gently before Orlando sipped at the champagne. They were of a similar height so when Orlando found himself standing facing Aidan, it was a simple thing to put down his glass, move forward and kiss him before pulling back to say, “Happy New Year.”

Instead of answering, Aidan pulled Orlando closer and kissed him back. Enjoying it far too much, Orlando slid his good arm around Aidan’s waist and held on. Sometime later the realisation that the singing had stopped and that the room’s occupants had gone quiet made Orlando break off the kiss and lift his head. When he saw that they were the centre of attention, he felt his face flame in embarrassment. 

Fortunately, before the moment could stretch for too long, Sam ran over to them and, standing on tiptoes, threw her arms around them both turning it into a group hug. By the time she released them, the rest of the guests had stopped paying attention to them and had gone back to the party.

“I don’t know about you two but I think 2016 is going to be a very good year!” Sam said happily before dashing away.

Orlando turned back to Aidan who fortunately didn’t seem to have minded making a minor spectacle of himself. “So, do you think you might want to stay here tonight?”

“Stay?”

“Yes, there’s plenty of room, Sam always gives me the biggest room up on the top floor.” Orlando knew he was rambling so he stopped talking.

Putting a hand on either side of his face, Aidan pulled him close again for another quick kiss. “I’d love to. But as long as you remember there’s no pressure to do anything you’re not up to. I’d much rather wait than risk hurting you.”

“So no swinging from the chandelier then?”

Laughing, Aidan shook his head. “Not just yet but I’m up for it if you are, when you’ve recovered.”

“Oh, something to look forward to. I can’t wait.” Orlando leaned against Aidan, resting his chin on Aidan’s shoulder until his neck muscles started to twinge and he became too uncomfortable.

With a mildly concerned look, Aidan said, “Come on, you’re in pain and exhausted. Let’s go upstairs. I’ll just find your sister to say goodnight.”

Two minutes later with Aidan beside him, Orlando tackled the stairs. They’d managed the first flight when Orlando stopped and said, “This is going to be so frustrating. I’m going to have a gorgeous man in my bed and there’s pretty much nothing I can do about it.”

With a wicked grin, Aidan replied, “Well, there’s always tomorrow morning. Who knows what might happen then? Seriously though, Lan, if all that happens tonight is some cuddling then I’m fine with it. I’m taking the long view and think it’s worth the wait.”

~~~

Orlando woke slowly and it took a while to get his thoughts in order but then he remembered it was New Year’s Day and Aidan had stayed the night. Looking over to the other side of the bed, he expected to see a dark mop of curly hair just peeping over the edge of the duvet but instead, he saw that the covers had been pushed back and the other side of the bed was empty.

Glancing over at the clock on the bedside table he saw that it was still early and guessed that no one was likely to be awake just yet given how the party had still been in full swing when he and Aidan had headed upstairs. Hearing the toilet flush and then water running in the sink in the ensuite, he hoped that Aidan would want to come back to bed. The night before he’d only managed to get ready for bed and take a painkiller, before falling into an immediate and deep sleep and now that he was awake and there was time to spare, he wanted to take advantage of having a gorgeous, caring man in his bed. 

The bathroom door opened and Aidan exited, wearing nothing but a pair of boxers. Upon seeing Orlando he said, “Oh! You’re awake.”

A bit stunned by the vision in front of him, Orlando could only nod. As the silence stretched on, he felt himself blush when he realised he was staring. That parts of his anatomy reacted strongly to what he was seeing was both a relief – that everything was working despite his medication, and mortifying because Aidan was bound to notice through the thin fabric of the boxers he wore to sleep in.

Knowing he had to say something Orlando said, “So are you just going to stand there or are you going to come back to bed?” 

Once he was in bed again, Aidan turned on his side to face him, completely relaxed; he propped his head up on one hand. Sinking back into the pillows Orlando turned his head to look at him and knew a daft smile had plastered itself over his face.

“What’s the matter, have I got toothpaste all over me or something?”

“Nah, I’m just realising how lucky I am and that it would be much better if you came closer.”

Rolling so that he was almost lying against Orlando’s good arm, Aidan said, “This close enough?”

“Maybe a bit closer would be better.”

Aidan obliged and then asked, “How’re you feeling this morning?”

“Good, I slept well. My shoulder’s a bit sore but nothing like it has been.”

“So, it’s not a problem if I do this?” Aidan asked before leaning closer and kissing Orlando.

“Definitely not.” Orlando mumbled before returning the kiss with interest.

Before long they were lying on their sides facing each other with Orlando’s injured arm resting over Aidan’s waist. Not being able to exert much force Orlando had to content himself with tugging at Aidan to get him to move even closer so that he could insinuate his leg in between Aidan’s. With a moan of pleasure Aidan began rubbing against him and Orlando found that with no effort he could do the same, rubbing his now hard cock against Aidan’s hip.

It was extremely pleasurable and Orlando was sure he could come just like this before Aidan whispered urgently, “Hang on a second.”

Before he could respond, Aidan had managed to discard his own boxers and had tugged Orlando’s down, freeing both their cocks. Wrapping his hand around their combined girths he began to move his hand, their mingled pre-come giving sufficient lubrication. It didn’t take long before Orlando couldn’t hold back, biting his lip to stifle his cry of pleasure when he came. A couple of strokes later Aidan joined him, swearing under his breath. 

It was only when their breathing had returned to something approaching normal that Orlando realised how messy they were. But instead of worrying about trying to find some tissues, he indulged and used one finger to trace the splatters through Aidan’s chest hair, making sure to spread it even further. Orlando mused, “Clean up must be a bitch with so much body hair.”

With a grin and a great deal of care, Aidan urged him over onto his back and moved to kneel with his legs on either side of Orlando’s hips. “It can be,” he agreed before giving a wicked grin, “just like payback.” Ducking his head he began to lick the remains of their come from Orlando’s chest, paying special attention to his nipples. 

Sinking back into the pillows, Orlando gave himself over to enjoyment. If this was an example of what he and Aidan had in store then 2016 showed great potential for being a very good year indeed.

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the LOTR Advent challenge on Live Journal


End file.
